LIN AND STU HEAD EAST TO REPORT FROM THE HONG KONG HIGH END AV SHOW 2025
HiFi PiG’s Lin and Stu bring you their Hong Kong High End AV Show 2025 Report, covering all the rooms, listening booths and exhibition hall, there is a whole lot of HiFi to check out, so sit back, relax and enjoy the report.
We would like to thank Rebecca and Lincoln of Audiotechnique, the show organisers for their hospitality once again, all of the exhibitors and show staff, and of course, our coverage sponsors, French HiFi brand, Esprit High End Audio.
This is the third year that we’ve been coming to the Hong Kong High End AV Show and we’re incredibly proud to be the only Western “friendly media partner” for the event. It’s a big show and it’s incredibly popular with visitors with this year’s show attracting over 130 exhibitors and upwards of 33,000 visitors over the three days. It’s also incredibly well organised.
Friday morning sees the grand-opening ceremony, and this year we were treated to a robot handing over the beater of the gong that announces the show has started, though the robot wasn’t quite as well behaved as it could have been. Following the beating of the gong there’s a whole load of people on the stage who fire off gigantic party poppers. It’s a real spectacle and it kicks off the event with a very real bang.
The show is over several floors and there’s also a theatre where visitors are treated to a series of live musical artists who do their thing and sign autographs for a very eager crowd.
The first of the floors is where the punters buy their tickets and where there is a huge (really huge) hall filled with stands and listening booths. It’s here you can go to buy your “software” (records and CDs) but also buy everything from audio hardware, cables, and headphones. It’s also where you can get refreshments in the shape of food and drinks, all of which are very reasonably priced.
Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of the editor.
HONG KONG HIGH END AV SHOW 2025 REPORT
So, let’s get on with the job in hand and have a look around this area, starting with the air-conditioned booths.
HALL THREE LISTENING BOOTHS
LUMIN
We started the day on a high with the Lumin room and it was already heaving with people, despite the show only starting a matter of minutes ago. We got to listen to a T3X player with a pair of Lumin amps with the Watt Puppy speakers from Wilson. L2 digital library from Lumin.
TAD
Next up in the massive hall was the TAD room and it did sound very nice. ME1TXSW speakers with the M7005 amp with the D700 CD player and the C700 preamp. Not playing we had the Ge1 Wn floorstanders and the CE1TXWNs. I’m guessing that at some point TAD had a DJ playing because (undercovers) was a AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ DJ set up.
SUGDEN, TOTEM, & ART
Sugden electronics with Totem and Art loudspeakers with Audite Acoustics rack and stands.
ISO ACOUSTICS
Canadian brand IsoAcoustics need no introduction if you read HiFi PiG on a regular basis, as we’ve been using their products in one shape or another for years. At the Hong Kong show they were showing off their new GAIA Neo isolation products. It’s always a very cool demonstration where they have a pair of Focal speakers with their products and then another without – the difference in sound is not subtle with the products in place. Not only were they being used under the speakers, but also under the electronics, though the dem was just of the difference between the loudspeakers with and without the isolation…green light on, with GAIA Neo, light off, without.
LAMPIZATOR, J SIKORA, CANOR
HiFi PiG is no stranger to a lot of the kit in this room as we’ve been using a Lampizator DAC in one form or another for well over a decade. Here we had the Horizon 360 DAC, but playing when we were in the room was the J Sikora Initial turntable through AudioNet Schrödinger amps and Mach pre, and a pair of Karma speakers. There was also a CANOR amp in the room, but we didn’t get a chance to hear this, though we have a review of one of their integrated amps coming up very soon – it’s excellent. Cables were by Voodo Labs and David Laboga.
RAIDHO, TRANSROTOR, AND SIMAUDIO
The new TD3.10 loudspeakers were introduced in Munich, but this was them making their Asian debut. The partner in China in Hong Kong is Roksan trading. The Raidho/SimAudio partnership is the same as Munich too.
VOLENT
The Volent Audio room featured a high-end system composed of carefully selected components from several respected manufacturers. At its core was the Taiko Audio Olympus music server, paired with the French Totaldac d1-total digital-to-analogue converter.
Amplification was provided by WestminsterLab’s Quest and Rei units. Loudspeakers used in the setup were the Estelon XB MK2.
The system also included a pre-amplifier from The Bespoke Audio Company from the UK. This unit was silver wound and wired, and visually characterised by its tall, gold-plated brass cowls.
On static display were a number of Innuos products and boxes from Audiobyte.
INNUOS
As always Portuguese brand Innuos put on an excellent room, both visually and sonically. At the Hong Kong show their wonderful steaming tech was partnered with D’Agostino pre and power amps, along with Magico speakers.
The new Nazare streamer/server was partnered with a dedicated Flow switch. Nazare is a very, very cool bit of kit and when we were introduced to it at Munich the step up from the already excellent Statement was obvious.
Watch this space, as pretty soon we’ll be visiting Innuos at their Portuguese HQ.
HIT AUDIO
Hit Audio were playing a brand that was wholly new to me in the shape of HKAT. Interesting electronics with a distinctively retro vibe. Speakers were a pair of B and W 801s. CAD grounding products, which we use in the HiFi PiG reference system were also being used.
KINGSOUND
I’ve been following KingSound speakers around for a good few years now and they’ve never failed to impress, though I’m unsure as to why they aren’t more well known in the UK – they are celebrating 25 years in business. In Hong Kong they were being used with a Thorens turntable and Audio Research and JADIS electronics. More HKAT electronics were in evidence too – a brand to look out for in the future, perhaps?
SOUNDWAVE AUDIO
A whole lot of HeadFi in this booth from the likes of Violectric, Dan Clark Audio, Focal, Naim and Meze. Their second booth then had more from the portable and IEM HeadFi side.
AUDIO ACCESS
Great to see Jess from Kerr having a presence in Asia and word has clearly got out given that the room was rammed and with standing room only. Also in this room were the excellent Metronome products from France and AVIDHiFi from England.
LACO
Laco were showing off Pass Labs electronics being fed their power from a Torus unit (we use one in our system and it’s excellent). An Oracle CD player was being played with cables all being by Kimber Kables. ATC speakers were also being used. This was a really nice sounding room, despite it being far from ideal in its structure.
AUDIO TECHNICA
Audio Technica HeadFi booth.
DEVIALET
ARIA AUDIO LTD
Aria Audio are the distributor of SoulNote, Fono Acoustica, Wattson Audio, exD, Fe, Tombo Audio and AudioVector
We’re fans of AudioVector and got to hear their R10 speakers when they were launched in Munich. The distributor had chosen to do times sessions and sadly we couldn’t wangle our way in immediately, but Mads and Jacky were kind enough to set up a listening session early on the Saturday. As I said at the Munich show when the R10 speakers were launched, they are very much like the R6 that we use in our system, just more so. We got to listen with the Wattson Audio amps that kick out just 50W a channel. That’s plenty of power for these lovely speakers. Jacky Fung held the demonstration for us and did a brilliant job, though the lady guarding the door to the big space was pretty adamant we weren’t going to make the meeting.
Lin chose the music and chose Turnstile “Seein’ Stars” and then Giorgio by Daft Punk, which was somewhat predictable. A great way to blow the cobwebs away!
SOUND OF STRINGS
Vitus Audio along with Wilson Benesch were being shown in this room, very nice indeed.
KINKI STUDIO
Only one chair in this room which made things difficult for everyone else other than the one lucky person that got the seat.
COSVOX
This is a new brand to me but one that I think will catch the imagination of folk in Europe and the States given they make very interesting loudspeakers. They do a full range of speakers that includes several floor standers, surround speakers and this pair of stand mounters.
FUNG LAB
This room was packed but I managed to get a seat and have a bit of a listen. This was all valves and horns by Line Magnetic. If you don’t know, Line Magnetic makes electronics and speakers that are based on classic designs from the past. Clearly they are very popular with the good people of Hong Kong and they certainly look the part. Nostalgia, but nostalgia done really well.
ELAC, THRAX, TECH DAS
This room was very busy but strangely there was a load of seats available; seems Hong Kong folk like to stand. Anyway, if you’ve been reading HiFi PiG for any length of time, you will know that we are huge fans of Thrax electronics and they certainly sounded excellent with the ELAC floor standers. We did get to listen to the Tech Das Air Force 5 too, though the music was a bit “special” for my Western tastes…
UPWARD AUDIO
ClearAudio turntables with McIntosh amps and Sonus Faber speakers. As well as all the usual electronics, there was an emphasis on the Gigawatt power conditioning and distribution products.
FLOOR 4
GRAND ASIA HiFi
Grand Asia HiFi are the distributors for a number of brands that we are fans of here at HiFi PiG including; Boulder, Meitner, CAD, THiXAR and others. We got to listen to Keith Don’t Go (its first outing) on a pair of the Virginti from EgglestoneWorks with a whole load of Boulder electronics. Lovely sounding system, but I’m yet to hear these speakers anything other than fabulous, just like at the NWAS and Deluxe shows in the UK, where Bill at Auden distributes them.
RICHCOLN COMPANY
This distributor is huge in Hong Kong and represents a number of well loved brands. In this room we got to listen to some Rogers BBC inspired speakers with Octave electronics and a lovely TD124 turntable from Swiss brand Thorens. I looked at my watch and noted it was 10:15 but the show was already packed. I did spot a pair of LS3s with matching bass units in a gloriously vibrant red that looked splendid!
RICHCOM
Not to be confused with Richcoln, Richcom are another big distributor that deal with Wilson Audio, Michell, dCS, Unison Research and a whole load of other brands were being shown off in this very busy area. The amps that we got to have a listen to were by Constellation but it was also lovely to see a Michell turntable fronting this system, along with their new two box phonostage that we saw launched at the Bristol show earlier in the year.
dCS were represented by the Vivaldi APEX system with the Lina DAC X being on static display.
RICHCOLN (AGAIN)
Well, PMC and Burmester is quite the partnership and here we got to listen to the BB5SE passive speakers. PMCs distributor in the region is Richcoln and they obviously do an excellent job given the number of folk eager to get a listen. Of course, the new Prodigy speakers from PMC were on show as well as Exposure and Octave. The big BB5 SE from PM were a delight to listen to, though the music was a little challenging for my Western ears. The front end of this system was the Burmester 217, 151 MK2 Music Center, )88 and the 909 MK2 monos. All cabling in the system was by Siltech.
Also on static display were speakers by Danish brand PEAK.
ROKSAN TRADING
No, not that Roksan. Bill McKiegan from D’Agostino had flown over to Hong Kong to show off their Relentless Epic 1600 mono block amplifiers. Yes, these are luxury audio products with prices to match, but they really do look and sound fantastic. The big Magico M7s partnered really lovely with these amps, which isn’t a surprise really.
AUDIO EXTREME
Timed sessions in this room but we did get to listen to some interesting music called DJ Boy on the Phasemation, Modwright electronics through a big pair of Klispch La Scala speakers. The front end was a Bergmann turntable.
The new Phasemation amps were running the speakers passively but with one amp for the tops and one for the bass. The new amps are 300B running PSE and giving around 9 Watts a channel. Really lovely sounding system.
SILTECH, CRYSTAL CABLE, HMS AND SPHINX
These speakers, the Sphinx Audio Engineering Element 3 and 5 are very interesting, and are part of the same group as Siltech/Crystal Cable. Everything other than cables will now be through the Sphinx brand. The Sphinx 5 were in prototype and will be available later in the year. They certainly look very interesting and not like anything I’ve seen before. Element is said to be all about speed and they aren’t transmission lines, but they do use different chambers and the mids are (unusually) ported. Rather than absorption on the chambers they use diffraction. An interesting kind of concept but one that certainly seems to work. The electronics are “passive/active” which is also a different way to look at it but we were told they are very fast. We got to listen to some classical music with a pipe organic and the speakers do go very low for their size. Very, very dynamic and I heard a guy behind me go “wow” when the low note came in – that’s got to be a good sign! There was also an Innuos Stream 3 in the system.
FIRST IMPRESSION MARKETING
Big Focals (Stella Utopia EM Evo) and Jeff Rowland amps were being played in this system when we got in there with a ZavFino turntable as the front end – I initially thought it was a TechDAS. Good to see SolidSteel racks being used in this system too.
As well as the system we got to listen to there was also a load of static kit from NAIM, which is a bit obvious given NAIM/FOCAL are essentially the same company now.
Other brands represented were Cardas Audio, Franco Serblin, IsoAcoustics, PrimaLuna and SOtM.
HMG
HMG are the distributor for a number of brands that include OePhi, Accuphase, TAOC, SAEC, and Fyne. We got to listen to the big Fyne Audio 704SB with the Supertrax supetweeter. The Accuphase and FYNE partnership is one that works really well. We heard a track called Anti Loudness by Muete and the Fynes really did push the sound out in to the room – very much my kind of speakers.
There was some brilliant interaction with Dave and Andrzej and the audience and Fyne gave out a few prizes to readers that knew the correct answers in a quiz about Fyne, including what the material used in the Supertrax was and where Fyne were based. This may sound a little thing, but it really engaged the audience and it was really good to see. There was also a record signing session going off too…a lively room!
ZESEN HiFi
Max from Zesen has been touring China with the system we heard, featuring the ginormous VIVID Moya M1 loudspeakers which are absolutely mental in a very good way. They are BIG, and the looks are going to challenge some people, but wow do they sound good. They run their own aluminium/Magnesium drivers and there are a LOT of them in there. The speakers are 450K Euros, but you are getting a whole lot of speaker for your money and they take 16 weeks to build. The finish on them is superlative. I’m not sure I’ve heard bass like this at a show – very, very controlled and very tight. Needless to say, the Chord Electronics Ultima 2 power amps – all four of them. There was a whole load more Chord Electronics in this system including a DAVE DAC. Possibly the best sound I have EVER heard at a HiFi show…and I’ve heard a LOT of systems.
Zesen also distribute Electrocompaniet and regular readers will know that we use Electrocompaniet AW 80M amps in our reference system and at the Hong Kong show they were partnered with British brand Graham Audio VOTU MAX speakers. I’ve not knowingly heard these humungous Graham speakers before but they certainly make a visual and sonic impression. The room was split into several zones, each with a different system set up and taking their turn to get played. This is a really clever way to present systems and it also means that people will come back several times thought out the show. Dave Waters of Fyne mentioned to me earlier that the European Shows could learn a lot from this show, and he’s not wrong.
Linn were also in the room as were Wiim, Falcon, and EAR Yoshino, but given time constraints we didn’t get a chance to hear any of these.
It was lovely to chat with Rob Wong of Audioquest that are also represented by Zesen HiFi. If you don’t know Rob, he’s well worth following on social media as he’s always got a camera on hand and captures a real feel of the people at shows around the world.
THE CHANCELLOR SUITE
Another huge room with a whole load of brands being represented in one space, Far too much really to sit and take in, and so I’ll let the pictures do the talking on this one. However, there are a couple of things I’d like to mention:
Marten used the Hong Kong show to premiere their Coltrane Supreme loudspeakers in the Chancellor Room. The presentation was made by Leif Olofsson and Patrick Li of Fung Ning.
WADAX from Spain were showing off their products which are insane looking (again in a good way) and Kroma speakers were also being shown off – both brands that are covered by Boyer in the UK.
French brand Metronome were also being shown off, as were Aries Cerat, and Lorenzo. TechDAS were doing a very in-depth presentation of their turntables, tonearms and a cartridge with a diamond cantilever.
And that was the end of Saturday at the show wrapped up…almost. Slight issue in that my computer gave up the ghost and we had to spend the afternoon in the Causeway Bay Apple Store getting a new one sorted.
Sunday started on a bit of a high with us sitting down with Dave Waters, from Fyne Audio, for breakfast. Dave has recently been made Vice President of Worldwide Sales for the Scottish company and given his past history with (among others) Musical Fidelity and Fyne we are sure he will be a huge success and we wish him likewise! Anyway, armed with my new computer and having spotted a woman at a nearby breakfast table reading HiFi PiG (we had to give her some merch), it was off to the exhibition centre and the final day of what had thus far been a really wonderful event.
FLOOR 2
PRECISION AUDIO
Precision Audio are the distributor for the likes of Audio Group Denmark, Monitor Audio Lyngdorf, and Atlas, Hana and Connected Fidelity, amongst others. A lovely way to start the Sunday with the last few bars of Keith Don’t Go echoing through the room through a full system of Audio Group Denmark’s kit, bar the Ayre amps, . The speakers are the Borresen T3 Cryo at 620K HKD (£62K give or take). Needless to say the rest of the system was equally impressive with the D-TC3 Mainz power cords. U588 dealing with the music end of things. Power and ethernet were also being dealt with by Ansuz kit to create a very nice sounding system. Not in use while we were there, the turntable was the Connected Fidelity TT Hub, with the Hana Umami Blue cartridge.
We’d had a drink the night before with Michael and Lars from Audio Group Denmark and managed to get a photo opportunity with Michael this morning too. It amazes me how these guys manage to be so energetic and on the ball given that they are not only designing and dealing with the day to day business of running the company, but also traveling the world and representing the brands they own…caps duly doffed!
FIRST IMPRESSION MARKETING
Another room using SolidSteel racks and then a system fronted by a pair of Franco Serblin Ktema loudspeakers and a pair of PrimaLuna EVO 300 hybrid power amps.
What struck me about this room was how nicely displayed everything was, with care taken as to how everything looked and sounded. The racks were carefully populated and the static displays were also well positioned and looked fab.
First Impression also deal with Cardas Cables, Focal, PLiXir, Zavfino, Naim (you can’t have Focal without Naim), SOtM, Jeff Rowland, and ISO Acoustics.
JADIS ELECTRONICS
At one end of this room we had French brand Diptyque who were showing off their Reference MK 2 speakers that were being powered by fellow French brand Jadis’ electronics to great effect to an appreciative audience. I’m a long time fan of Jadis and I’m sure most readers will be aware of their valve-based electronics. The amps are the JA688 monoblocks, each with matching powersupply, and they are massive and look fab!
At the other end of the room we saw but didn’t hear Stenheim speakers with rack and racks of CH Precision electronics.
Jadis Electronics also deal with MBL, Finite Element, Davis Acoustics, StromTank (I still want one of their power units) Shunyata Research, and Ayre.
The next JADIS ELECTRONICS room was playing a full MBL system being powered by a Stromtank. The speakers were the 101E MKII, power amps the 9008A, CD 1621A was spinning the discs and a 1611F DAC converting the zeros and ones into a 6010D preamplifier.
Elsewhere in the second room was a system fronted by Davis Acoustics Stellar speakers and a smaller version of the Stromtank (S1000) and that super cool Yuki turntable that we’ve drooled over for the last few years.
I like the way these big rooms are split into hosting several systems so that a full range of distributors’ kit can be shown off during the day simply by spinning the chairs around.
PURIST AUDIO
The system we got to listen to was fronted by Elstelon speakers and Audio Research electronics (Reference 160 per amps, Reference 10 pre, and a Reference phono 35E phono stage). At the analogue end of this system was an Acoustic Signature Typhoon Neo turntable.
Elsewhere in the room were the new Avantgarde Colibri speakers and sub.
What we didn’t get to listen to was a system fronted by Wilson Benesch speakers from God’s Own County (Yorkshire) and a whole load of Vitus Audio electronics. The Vitus SCD 25 CD player is a totally new CD player with a new drive system as the Phillips drive has been obsolete for ten years, the pre is the SL103 and the power amps are the SM103s. All the Vitus kit was from the Signature series which sits in the middle of their ranges. Hans Ole of Vitus told us that the amps and pre have just won product of the year from a well known magazine.
The room was another really well put together and apparently the first time that more than one room had been given over to Chinese mainland distributors. We got to meet Henry who fronts Purist Audio.
As well as playing in the system there was a whole load of Acoustic Signature turntables and Mr Robert Hagermann (a legend) was representing the brand. It’s great to see that all these brands are bringing over their top folk to support their distribution networks.
Cables in all the systems were by American brand Purist Audio Design and Crystal Cables.
AVANTGARDE HONG KONG
Not the same Avangarde that makes the speakers but the Hong Kong distributor for some serious products including Kondo, Zellaton, Halcro, DS Audio, and Vinnie Rossi. But that’s not all as they also represent Sonner Audio. Velodyne, TriPlanar, AMG, IKEDA and TW Acoustic.
Vinnie Rossie had flown over from the States to represent his brand and I still maintain that his products are some of the nicest looking anywhere and at any price.
The speakers are the Reference Ultra from Zellaton, and when we were in the room they were running the Halcro monoblock amps and Halcro Control pre.
DCH AV
We walked into this room in the middle of a demonstration in Chinese but the audience seemed very appreciative. Brands represented include Gold Note, Cyrus. Blue Aura, Cabasse, Esoteric, Ruark, TEAC, and Tannoy.
ERNEST AUDIO
Ernest Lau is a high end distributor, but also a massive rock star with this band The Tai Chi Band who you may not know, but who are huge in China – give Google a search.
Brands in the room include VTL, Rockport Technologies, CH Precision, and VPI.
Mat from VPI was on a bit of an Asian tour and despite working in several shows and several countries for the last week or so still managed to be the consummate showman. This is important for brands and visitors to the show really do appreciate this level of commitment from the brands.
The system we got to listen to was fronted by a VPI Avenger direct drive with a full range of top-end CH Precision electronics. I was struck by the quality of the contrabass on this system.
It takes a lot of effort and a lot of money to do shows like this, and it’s clear that distributors like Ernest put a whole load of effort into ensuring that the visitors to the room get the best possible experience with a great sounding system, but also a room that is well laid out and convivial.
MARANTZ AND BOWERS & WILKINS
WISE SOUND
The last room of the Hong Kong AV show was Wise Sound and it was another huge room with loads of systems set up in different zones.
Playing in the room when we went in was a system fronted by YG Acoustics speakers and Luxman electronics.
Elsewhere there were Soulution, Audio Flight, Wharfedale, Pathos, Krons, AlsyVox and Revival Audio.
To give you an idea of the scale of this room, there were five full systems with seating set up around the space.
As always, It’s think it’s unwise to judge the systems being demonstrated at shows like this, but I have to mention two systems that really stood out for the dynamics they brought to the party and they are the Ernest Lau’s system fronted by Rockport Technologies, CH Precision, and VPI and they system from Saturday fronted by the new Vivid Moya speakers. Both these systems were excellent.
HALL 3 STANDS
As well as the listening rooms around the edge of Hall 3, there are the stands featuring lots of cables, a huge amount of HeadFi, records, CDs and HiFi, these are covered in our photos below.
Our huge thanks to everyone who took the time to say hello to Lin and I, to the organisers of the show Rebecca and Lincoln, and to all the exhibitors and brand ambassadors that did such a great job of representing their products. Last but not least to all the visitors to the show who were so lovely to us both.
If you are lucky enough to be in a position to attend the Hong Kong show, then do make the effort. The city is everything you think it would be and more, the people are hugely friendly, and the show is wonderful.
Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of the editor.
Linette and Stuart Smith
